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Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies

Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies. A life-long love of shortbread cookies has meant many variations in my kitchen over the years but at Christmas time I always return to the simple recipe I loved as a child.

Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies

I have indeed had a life long love of shortbread cookies as the number of variations of this all time favourite on Rock Recipes can pay witness. I’ve often said that sometimes simple is best and that is particularly true in the case of shortbread cookies.

With their tender, crisp, crumbly texture and buttery sweet flavour, they need nothing more to make them totally satisfying, except maybe a cup of hot tea. I was quite partial to a tall glass of cold milk with these as a child and still am on occasion.

During the Holidays, all the women in our extended family and friends made shortbread cookies as part of their Christmas baking routine. Some kids gravitated to other more decadent cookies in the Christmas offerings but I always enjoyed eating around the bright red cherry or sometimes gumdrop at the center of a shortbread cookie and saving the sweet morsel in the middle as the final bite.

Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies

This recipe is a slight variation in method on Nanny Mildred Ralph’s recipe, who was my Uncle Bill’s Mom, and a great baker like so many Newfoundland women of her generation. I’ve added a little real vanilla to the dough for additional flavour and glacé cherries to the center instead of maraschinos as she did.

You can use whichever you like or substitute baking gums as I just mentioned. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without some Holiday Shortbread Cookies.

Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies ready for the oven

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Nana so this recipe it will be one sheet of cookie and then I will have to cut in squares?i like the easiness bit would like to know if I could cut them with a cookie cutter and bake
thanks Joan
I love Barry recipe been raised by a newfie mother

I did these in a conventional oven because that’s how I made them for years before convection ovens. I judge them as done by the color around the edges which is mostly why I still use the regular oven setting.

Awesome recipe, this recipe was so good that I told the kids that the next time I make these cookies. im gonna put broccoli in them.
Just so they don’t eat them all the same day.
Thanks for the recipe.

Hey! I’ve been following a couple recipes on this website and all have turned out great. However I just tried the shortbread and they flattened out and crumbled to pieces when I held them, have you ever had this happen? Help!

Never had that happen. Sounds like you may have over measured your flour. Make sure it isn’t compacted into the cup. Spoon in the flour and level it is my rule. I’m going to assume that you are using real dairy butter. There is no substitute.

Barry, I’ve come to your website a few times now. I’m originally from Corner Brook and grew up I Deer Lake.. now I’m in Ontario and the recipes that you share remind me of my childhood back home. I’m about to take on this Shortbread one however I’m going to omit the cherry on top. Thanks for sharing

Thanks! I made them, and they turned out delicious! I made them for my in-laws because they’re from Newfoundland, and I’m excited to give them the cookies for Christmas. The only thing I changed was that my cookies kept sticking to the floured counter when being cut, so I simply rolled balls, and squished them down with a fork, then added the cherry. Had to cook them a bit longer, but still amazing. Thanks again!

Best shortbread cookie I have ever made!! My son’s eyes almost fell out of his head when he bit into the first one. I have finally found the Christmas cookie recipe I was looking for…Thank you for sharing!! <3

Thanks for posting this great recipe. Would it be possible to correct the prep time from 20minutes to 2 hours and 20 minutes since the dough should be chilled for 2 hours. This was an unpleasent surprise half way though. Glad I started early.

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Hi, I'm Barry. I'm Dad to 2 amazing kids, author of 3 best-selling cookbooks, a freelance food writer & full time blogger. My lifetime love of cooking & baking has led me to share over 1600 recipes on this blog over the last 10 years. Come back often, there's always great new food & recipes coming out of my St. John's, Newfoundland kitchen!

Real Food Recipes, For Real People

Sign up for our free newsletter to never miss any of the new recipes from my family's kitchen. Get seasonal cooking & baking suggestions, giveaway alerts, PLUS recipe round-ups for holidays and occasions too!